Both Uses of
besiege
in
The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin
- At length the fleet sail'd, the General and all his army on board, bound to Louisburg, with intent to besiege and take that fortress; all the paquet-boats in company ordered to attend the General's ship, ready to receive his dispatches when they should be ready.†
*
- The other two paquets he still detained, carried them with him to Halifax, where he stayed some time to exercise the men in sham attacks upon sham forts, then alter'd his mind as to besieging Louisburg, and return'd to New York, with all his troops, together with the two paquets above mentioned, and all their passengers!†
Definition:
-
(besiege) to surround with armed forces, and cut-off supplies or attack
or:
to make an overwhelming number of requests, complaints, or comments -- typically in an annoying manner and sometimes while surrounding